Mistakes and Happy Endings
by Unexpected Hopeless Romantic
Summary: Everyone makes mistakes, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve happy endings. Elfgreen, Gale, Nalu, Jerza and sort-of implied Gruvia ('cause if you don't like certain pairings, you can just choose what to read :P Although, the whole story's better as a whole. But if you don't like a somewhat open-ended ending, I suggest don't read the Gruvia part.)


_**So this is my first time writing a Fairy Tail fanfic. I've been writing fanfics for sometime but been in hiatus for a while so pardon if my writing's a little bit rusty. But since I love the anime so much and just spent a few days marathon-ing the whole thing, I decided to write a fanfic about the different couples of FT. Anyway, I'll stop with explaining and let the story speak for itself. Hope you guys enjoy and don't forget to R &R! :)**_

It was the day after the big party celebrating Fairy Tail's achievement of finally defeating all the dark guilds, Zeref, Acnologia and all their foes. That day, a lot of interesting things happened…

 _ **Elfgreen**_

Raijinshuu minus Laxus were talking about a certain someone that Evergreen seemed to have an eye for. "So spill it Ever, we know you like that _man,_ especially when we saw you two together in Ryuzetsu Land," Freed said teasingly.

"You must have mistaken! I was with a statue of him. Why would I be with that guy? He's totally not my type," she said a little bit tense and defensive.

Bickslow didn't believe a word she said. "Come on really, a statue!? Even if what you're saying is true, why would you be with a statue of the guy? Come on, we all know of your abilities," he explained.

"What are you implying?! You're no expert in love! You call your powers 'creating babies', when actually you don't even have a girlfriend!" she angrily asked.

"Admit it! You like Elfman!" Bickslow said as he tauntingly put his tongue out and revealed his Fairy Tail insignia.

As the group banter went on, they didn't notice that Elfman was actually listening to the whole conversation. He was just about to talk to Evergreen about something but couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"Why would I ever like a man like that!?"

Elfman froze as if he was under Evergreen's spell yet again. Her words kept repeating in his head.

"Why would I ever like a man like that!?" "Why would I ever like a man like that!?" "Why would I ever like a man like that!?"

Such harsh words made him not only speechless but also as if paralyzed.

Suddenly, Freed noticed that the man they were talking about was just behind Evergreen. He pointed to him and signaled the others to stop criticizing the guy.

"That guy's too harsh and careless. He keeps saying he's a man, but he actually doesn't know how to take care of a woma… What's the matter Freed?" Ever asked.

Freed signaled her to turn around and she did. She then saw the almost lifeless Elfman who obviously heard everything.

"…shit. Uh… Elfman… I'm sorry."

He finally snapped back to reality and tried to pretend everything was okay. He scratched his head. "No, it's okay. I guess you already made it clear before that you didn't like me. I was just taken aback to hear such words so clearly. Anyway, hehe… I have to go," he said and rushed away to his sisters Mirajane and Lisanna.

Evergreen felt so bad. Her chest felt so heavy, her face felt like she was about to cry. This time, it was her who couldn't move and follow Elfman. All she could do was turn around and look at her comrades.

"…I messed up," she admitted with a sigh.

"You should really be more honest with your feelings," Bickslow said.

"You can still save your relationship with him. Just go to him and tell him what you feel," Freed explained.

Evergreen sighed once more and just looked at the fellow who was crying on his sisters' shoulders.

She warily approached him since she wanted to take her time. She tried formulating what to say in her head, but she just ended up talking to herself and looking like an idiot. When she ended up finally in front of the "Take-over siblings", she still didn't have the right words to say.

"…hi, Evergreen-san," Mirajane greeted with a sweatdrop.

"…hi, Mirajane… Lisanna. Uh… can I have a word with your brother?"

The two looked at each other and smiled as they understood the situation. "Elf-niichan, oneechan and I have to go now, okay? Don't worry, you'll do just fine," Lisanna said as he hugged her brother.

Elfman had a worried look on his face. What was going to happen with just the two of them? He wasn't prepared for her to see him so pathetic.

The two white-haired sisters left and finally Evergreen and Elfman were all alone.

"Hey… Elfman. I… I'm sorry," she said with a bowed head.

"No, it's okay. I'm perfectly fine, you don't have to apologize."

"No, I do! I was stupid. I should have been honest… with the man that I like," she said blushing even more as each second passed by.

Silence. There was a couple seconds of silence. Evergreen raised her head to see what his reaction was, only to see that he didn't quite get the statement. "So… who do you like?"

She smiled. She figured that he wouldn't assume such a statement. But she just found it so hard to say the words that have been eating her up ever since she realized she fell for him. "….A _man_."

His face looked defeated and depressed. "Oh… so who is he? What's your type?"

" _How dense could he get?! Then again, I guess it makes me like him even more. I guess I have to be more forward,"_ she thought to herself. "A guy that's too harsh and careless at times. He always says he's a man, and despite everything that I've said, I'm sure he really knows how to take care of a woman…"

Elfman started to blush as well. "…you mean?" he asked then pointed to himself.

She could only blush the reddest shade of red and nod her head.

He looked as if he wanted to cry out of joy. He couldn't contain it anymore. He pulled her close to him and hugged him like the real man he was. "I can't believe this is happening. This is just what I was about to tell you awhile ago," he started to cry.

" _You know what they say, a real man knows how to cry,"_ Ever thought as she just savored their hug.

 _ **Gale**_

During the same day, Lucy decided to help Levy out with a certain someone she had a crush on.

"Lucy! You don't have to do this. I'm perfectly fine just being friends with him!" Levy said as she pulled Lucy away from walking to a certain Iron Dragon Slayer.

"No, no, no! I'm sure of it! I'm sure he likes you too. And now that everything's over, it's the perfect time to confirm it. So just hide by a corner and eavesdrop, okay Levy?" she said as she hid Levy in a near corner. She then continued walking to the guy.

"Hey Gajeel! I was just wondering… Are you interested in any particular girl?" she asked him since he was all alone. Lily was with Carla and Happy in an Exceed-Only-Party.

Gajeel blushed from the out of the blue question. "Girls?!... Why I'm not even remotely interested in any," he lied.

"Huh!? Really? How about the strong type? Like Erza? You two would make a very strong couple!" she asked as Erza passed by them.

He sweatdropped. "As much as I would love to beat Erza in a battle, strong girls aren't really my type."

"Eh!? So you do have a type!" she exclaimed in excitement.

Gajeel blushed. "I just told you, I don't!"

"Come on! You just slipped! You told me that Erza wasn't your type, meaning you actually do have one!"

"Why do you got to be so annoying!?"

"Hmm… well, it's clearly not a perky pretty girl like me as well. Hmmm… how about an obsessed one like Juvia?" she asked as she pointed to Juvia who was as usual still stalking Gray from a distance.

"…nothing creepy like that."

"Or someone feminine?"

Gajeel blushed even more.

"Like Mirajane, Lisanna?"

He sighed from relief. _"She totally has no clue,"_ he thought to himself. "Listen Lucy, all I wanted was some quiet time after that crazy party yesterday, but…"

She then cut him off. "How about Levy!?"

His face turned so hot and red that his ears even released some steam. "LEVY!? What gives you that idea?"

Levy frowned. _"I guess I have no chance. Well, it's better this way. Things would be way too complicated anyway."_

"But why not? You two look like you get along great! Plus, I actually think you two look really cute together," she said with a smirk.

"Why not!? I bullied her before! I injured her, hanged her on a tree…for Pete's sake! Nothing could possibly make up for what I did to her. It's impossible to make her like me."

Lucy made a grandiose surprised pose. Although, she was actually just acting. "So you DO like Levy!?"

Gajeel stuttered. "Whawhamehmehme? Likewholike…Levy? Uh…"

Levy couldn't take hiding anymore. She went near the two as she was the subject of discussion.

"LEVY!?" the two said in unison.

"Oooohh. Sorry to be talking behind your back Levy, but Gajeel apparently has something to tell you," Lucy said as she merrily ran away from the two.

Levy looked at Gajeel who was all red. She couldn't help but smile seeing how adorably vulnerable he looked like. "So… what is it that you wanted to tell me, Gajeel? I heard you mention my name."

"You see… You're smart right, Levy? Uh…And you probably must have figured it right now…" he started to talk while scratching his nose from nervousness. His usual proud self was long gone. It always was gone when it comes to talking to her.

Levy surprised him with a peck on the cheek. "I like you too Gajeel," she said and smiled.

 _ **Nalu**_

At another side of the guild, Natsu was asked again once more by Alzack and Bisca to baby-sit Asuka as they head for another job.

After her parents left, Asuka then gave a happy smile upon seeing Natsu. "Natsu-niichan. Let's have a shooting battle again so that you can do whatever I want!"

Natsu sweatdropped. "Uh… sure. I ain't gonna lose to you again!"

But as Lucy recalled, that's what he says but he actually really means he'd let her win.

* * *

True enough, after one round, Asuka beat Natsu by a landslide. "Yay! I win again! You have to do everything I say!"

"…okay, okay, fine. So what do you want me to do first?"

Asuka looked around the guild then saw Lucy who was all alone sitting on a table. She just finished her master plan of getting Levy and Gajeel together and just sat a few tables across them, marveling at the brilliance she had done. After confessing to each other, Gajeel couldn't help take his hands off the little mage. After hugging and kissing her, he was poking her face again and again telling her how cute she was. Who would have known that was Gajeel's thing? Then again, I guess him doing the same to Lily showed that was really how he showed affection.

Anyway going back to Asuka and Natsu, after seeing Lucy, an idea popped in Asuka's head. She was so excited of her request that she whispered loudly to Natsu that the next table could hear. Luckily nobody was near enough to hear what she was saying. "Natsu-niichan, since you didn't get the chance to do _that_ before since Lucy-neechan heard of my request, I think you should try doing _that_ again."

"What's that?" he asked not having a clue. Typical Natsu.

"Kiss Lucy-neechan."

Natsu sweatdropped and blushed a bit. "…uh… are you sure? She sure wasn't willing to kiss me before. I might get to kiss… Happy again," he said then quivered from the mere thought of it.

"That's why you should surprise her!"

"…are you sure?" he seriously asked.

Asuka tried to fake some tears and look all sad. "…you don't want to? You promised me that you'll do whatever I tell you!"

"No, no, no! It's not that!"

She immediately changed her mood and gave a big smile. "Then do it!"

"Fine," he sighed then headed towards Lucy who was now daydreaming in the corner.

"Hey Lucy!" he tried acting all normal and cheery.

"Hey Natsu, what's up?"

"…uh… what's that?" he asked then pointed at something.

"Huh, what's what?" she asked while looking at the direction he pointed to.

He then slipped a kiss on her lips. He totally caught her off guard.

Her eyes widened and she blushed to a harsh crimson.

"Whawhawhawhat did you just do!?" she asked and stepped away from him while making a weird surprised pose. This time, it was not acting.

"I know you didn't want to kiss me before, but… Asuka-chan asked me to do it again. I couldn't say no. I'm sorry."

Lucy looked down. "Uh… no. It's okay. If Asuka-chan asked that, then it's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"…yeah. It's not like you have any feelings for me, right?" she said and gave a fake laugh.

Natsu looked confused. "What? Of course I have feelings for you!" he straightforwardly stated.

"Whawhawhawhat!?" You'd think she couldn't become redder than she already was, but she actually did.

"Why are you surprised? You're Lucy. We spend so much time with each other. I worry when you're in trouble, and I don't want you to cry. You're one of my comrades. Of course I have feelings for you!"

She finally understood how innocent he could get. Her blushed disappeared. "Ah, right. Of course you have feelings for me. Like the way you have feelings for the others."

"Hmmm… I guess not like everyone. I don't feel the same way about Gray. I mean, whatever happens to him, I won't like go and save him or anything. He can take care of himself."

"Well fine, maybe like the other girls? Like Erza or Lisanna?"

"Well I do worry about the others as well. Even Erza or Lisanna. But… I guess it's different. With Erza, I get mad. Really mad. I'm worried too. With Lisanna, I was really sad when we all thought she died. But really happy that she came back. But with you… Hmmm… I just… I can't explain it. I also feel all those but I have this weird weight in my chest whenever you're in danger. I sometimes feel that way also when I just see you. I wonder why that's so. Hmmm…"

Lucy couldn't help but smile at the way Natsu looked so serious in thought. It wasn't that common that you saw him so serious.

"Maybe because I just like you too much," he said with an innocent happy smile.

Lucy couldn't believe what he just said. Her crimson blush came back again. "Whawhawhat!? …do you mean that… Natsu?"

Natsu still looked all innocent and childlike. He gave a big smile. "Of course I do!"

Still blushing, Lucy smiled. She then stepped forward and gave him a kiss on the lips.

Natsu now blushed the same strong shade as Lucy. She also caught him off guard. "Whawhawhawhy did you just do that?! Did you lose to Asuka-chan as well?!"

Lucy smiled. He could be so dense. But then again, that's what drew him to her. "You're so clueless, Natsu. I like you too."

 _ **Jerza**_

As the day ended, it also marked something very important for two people.

Jellal had invited to meet Erza by the bridge near Fairy Tail so that they could talk about some certain things. Erza was ultimately excited about meeting him after everything they had encountered. Dark guilds, mages, demons, Acnologia, Zeref, everything! It was finally over. He had no more trouble of hiding his identity to the council. He can now live a free life. And because of this, she had a feeling that finally they could get the happily ever after they deserved all along.

She requipped into her best and sexiest elegant red dress and put on some feminine make-up. She even asked Lucy to summon Cancer so he could give her a great haircut. She really wanted to make this night special.

She reached the appointed meeting place before Jellal although he came after a few minutes. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey. Good evening," she genuinely smiled.

He gaped upon seeing her. She looked divine. A beauty beyond his expectations. He was already beautiful in his eyes even though she was just wearing armor before. However, tonight, her beauty resonated even more. It was as if she was glowing. "Wa…Wow. Erza… You look… I'm lost for words."

She blushed. "Thanks. I try. Anyway, should we get going to a restaurant? I know a nice quaint place just near here."

Jellal then snapped out of the beautiful spell which was Erza's splendor.

"Erza… let's talk here," he said as he pulled her hand to a dark corner.

"Okay… but you know it's getting pretty dark here. We should at least go to somewhere bright."

"No. It's okay. Erza… I asked you to come here to…"

"Say what, Jellal?" her heart was beating so fast. She was expecting of something good to happen that night, but she didn't really expect what exactly would happen.

Jellal gave a deep breath and said, "I came here to say farewell. Everything is finally over and I just wanted to say goodbye to you. Someone… really dear to me."

Something as if broke within Erza. "…what?!"

"I decided to live in an island far away. You could visit me… I would love to see you…" but he then remembered why he was again here in the first place. "But I think it is for the best that you shouldn't."

"What?! Jellal, what are you talking about?!" she asked as she held both of his hands.

He looked away. "…don't you remember when I told you I have a fiancé? We're going to get… married… then take care of Meredy. Well… I'm not really sure if Meredy's willing to live with us, but it's up to her," he said, trying to act all brave and sure.

"Jellal! Crime Sorciere is no more. There are no more dark guilds. Zeref and Acnologia are gone! You don't even have to hide from the council! You've atone for your sins. Are you sure this is what you want to do?!"

He shoved away her hands and turned away from her. "Yes, I'm sure."

Erza began to cry. Since it was dark, it wasn't quite clear that she was doing so. She knew in her gut that he was lying. But she couldn't be positively sure. Jellal's actions were absolutely unexpected. "Jellal! Look at me when you're talking to me! Look at my face and say to me that you have a fiancé! That you love someone else other than me."

As he still had his back away from Erza, Jellal also started to cry. He then remembered what he had told Meredy when they talked about Erza again after Ultear had left them.

" _Why don't you just tell her you love her? It's obvious that you do."_

" _It's not that easy."_

" _Why isn't it easy?"_

" _Love isn't easy."_

" _Well, I guess you're right. But nothing is. Love doesn't need to be easy. It just has to prevail. Don't torture yourself too much."_

" _It's fine. I deserve it. I don't deserve her. I think I never would."_

" _No, Jellal. We'll get through everything. We'll accomplish our goal if I can help it. Because I want you to be happy. Now that Ultear's gone, you're my only family. And family wants what's the best for their family."_

" _But the way I am now…"_

" _Don't say that! Don't tell me you don't want to be with her! Because I know you do. I see the way you look at her when she's there. Or the way your mind lingers when she's not there. You love her Jellal. And you want to be with her."_

 _Jellal snapped. "Of course I do! It may seem that I'm fine not seeing her for so long. But really, I think of her everyday. She's the first face I think of seeing when I wake up, and the last face I want to see before going to sleep. Not knowing what she's doing keeps me insane. And knowing that she's with other men who she could potentially fall in love with… it just eats me up."_

" _Jellal…"_

" _But I think of what I've done and what I should do and I carry on with the torture of not being with her. Because I'm still not worth it for her. She is the light and I am the darkness. They do not belong together."_

" _But you know Jellal, when there is light, there is darkness. The light changes the darkness. You still have hope. We still have hope. It might not be easy, but we can do it. So promise me. Promise me, that when everything is over, you won't run away from her. Promise me that you two will be together. Because that is what's inevitable."_

 _Jellal sighed. "Fine. I can't argue with you, Meredy. I'll be together with her… when I become a better man. A man that is deserving of her."_

"Jellal! Jellal! Snap out of it!" Erza kept screaming as she held his hands again and hugged him close. "Jellal, don't leave me anymore. I know it's selfish of me, if you really have someone else. But I just can't help but think that we belong together. Jellal… I love you."

He finally returned to thinking straight. "Erza…I'm sorry. I.. I…"

He pushed her away a bit. But not like he wanted to get rid of her. "I don't have a fiancé. I'm sorry for lying. I was just so scared that I felt I still don't deserve you."

"Silly, love isn't about deserving. It's just doing everything for that one person because you want to be with that person," Erza said.

Jellal smiled. "I know that now. And you should know… I love you too."

Despite having her face full of tears, she smiled the happiest she's ever been since she was a kid. She then hugged Jellal then kissed him passionately. Of course he kissed back with the same intensity, maybe even more. The girl that he had been waiting for so long, longing for so long; he finally had her and their happy ending.

 _ **Gruvia**_

Unlike the day before, the next day was actually raining heavily. But despite the gloomy weather, Juvia had finally decided to give another special gift for Gray. This time it was a handmade sweater with her face on the center. She wrapped it in a very pretty and neatly handmade wrapper then gave it to him in front of everyone.

Being the optimist that she is, as usual, she expected of a good response. However somehow, after it being the anniversary of Ul's death among a certain incident that made Gray a bit depressed, this made him not be in the mood. He shoved the gift away and couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm sorry Juvia. I don't like you the same way."

Finally, he said it. He uttered the words that he had told everybody else but never told her.

This made Juvia cry even more than she should and put the whole guild in a sea of tears.

"Enough, Juvia! Don't obsess over me anymore!" Gray reiterated his dislike for her.

Because of too much embarrassment, she ran to the bathroom to resume her crying.

Eventually, the sea of tears in the guild lobby disappeared as Juvia left the room.

Everyone felt sorry for Juvia, especially the girls. They all just gave Gray an irritated look then decided to follow her in the girls' bathroom. None of the girls talked to him like they usually do when he would shove Juvia away. This time, it was too much. They couldn't take it.

The guys on the other hand had some words to tell Gray.

"That was pretty harsh, Gray. I mean, you might not like Juvia. But you kinda led her on," Jellal stated. He became a member of Fairy Tail ever since the big celebration party.

Gray seemed more irritated than usual and gave a glare to Jellal. "What would you know?! You're just new here. You weren't even here for Erza for a lot of things. How would you know that I led her on?! I never told her that I liked her. I never did anything."

"Never did anything? Unison raid? Holding her hands? Letting her hug you tight or just spending alone time with her? Wasn't that leading her on!?" Gajeel exclaimed.

"What?! What are you guys angry for? I just didn't know what to say to her. I continuously shoved her away! But she never got the picture," Gray reasoned out.

"Is it just because you wanted to be nice? 'cause that image is totally not you," Natsu commented while he was snickering a bit.

"You called that nice? Well, even though it is his way of being nice, I think he waited too long to finally turn her down. She probably must have just thought he was shy and a tsundere," Elfman explained.

"Well, I just hope you don't regret what you just did, Gray," Natsu said.

"Psh! What do you guys know!? You guys are all happy with your lives; you probably won't understand what I'm feeling right now."

* * *

" _Juvia doesn't need this anymore. Juvia has been tolerating Gray-sama for too long. After all we've been through, this is what he does?! Juvia doesn't even need to call him 'sama' anymore. Gray. That's right. From now on, he should just be Gray to Juvia. A Fairy Tail comrade. Nothing more, nothing less."_

Juvia cried her eyes out inside the bathroom of the guild. After a certain incident of embarrassment in front of everyone, it was all she could do.

"Juvia-chan!" knocked a familiar voice in the girls' bathroom that was sealed shut. It was Lucy. "Please come out! We're all worried about you."

"That's right Juvia! I'm sure all you need is some rest. Let's just go home so that you can think things through," Erza explained.

There was no answer. All the girls outside looked at each other.

"I guess she's really depressed this time," Mirajane said.

"Well, after finally being flat-out rejected, I don't see how anyone won't be depressed," Levy explained.

"Well, I guess it doesn't end up well for everyone, huh?" Evergreen commented.

All the girls in front of the bathroom sighed. Suddenly, Cana exclaimed. "But still she has to get out of there! I need to use the bathroom after all that booze I just drank!" She started knocking on the door even louder. "Juviaaa! Hey Juviaaa! I need to use the bathroom!"

Juvia wiped her tears and tried to give a big exhale. _"They're right. Juvia has to go home. No use crying here… Juvia will just cry at home. Cry herself to sleep."_

Before opening the door, she turned herself into water and filled the whole bathroom with it. "Okay, you can guys can go in!" she then said.

When Cana finally opened the door, a big wave of water came out and drove everyone away with its current. The water reached the guild's lobby and eventually the gate. Afterwards, Juvia rematerialized to her former self and ran back to Fairy Hills as the hard rain went on.

Everyone in the guild got wet.

"Not again!? I hate being wet!" Natsu exclaimed!

"It's your entire fault Gray!" all the girls shouted in unison.

Gray looked down then looked at the gate. "She must be pretty angry with me, huh?"

* * *

The next day, Juvia came to Fairy tail with her fellow Fairy Hills dormers. They surrounded her as if protecting her from seeing Gray. If Gray was around, they would just divert her attention to something else. Perhaps ask her to go on a job with her or just go out the city with her. Despite being really depressed, all her friends were there for her.

Gray could just watch them from far away and do nothing.

Weeks passed and months passed with Juvia and Gray not ever talking with each other. Sure there were instances that they would see each other, but they would just look the other way and not speak a word.

" _It's better this way… Juvia doesn't want to hear those words from him again. Juvia doesn't know how she would survive. Juvia persisted for so long. And all Juvia gets is…"_

"I'm sorry Juvia. I don't like you the same way." Or "Enough, Juvia! Don't obsess over me anymore!"

" _Maybe Juvia should just learn to move on. Get away from here. My friends are really helpful and Juvia appreciates their effort to keep Gray away from me and make things less awkward… But nothing can be accomplished if Juvia hangs around the same place he's in everyday. Juvia has to distance myself from him even more. Juvia has to let go. No… Move on. Because he was never Juvia's to begin with."_

* * *

One particular stormy day, Juvia walked to Fairy Tail without her usual umbrella. Water might have no effect on her, but that umbrella was a sign of her humanity and vulnerability. But now, despite it raining heavily like the day Gray dumped her, she decided not to use it for a very important matter.

As she entered Fairy Tail, she went directly to Master Makarov and signaled him to get the attention of everyone because she had something to say. Of course the Master did as he was told.

"Everyone… Juvia has something to say," she started. "As you all know… Gray dumped…no… rejected Juvia a couple of months ago."

Gray looked down as everyone eyed him as if either irritated at him or sorry for him.

"But that's okay. Juvia has finally accepted that she has no chance with Gray. Although, even if that is the case, it is still hard to move on. Juvia knows and appreciates the efforts everyone is making for her. But Juvia thinks she must move on… in a farther place."

"…farther place? What are you saying, Juvia?" Lucy asked in total concern.

"…Juvia has decided to leave Fairy Tail. Sorry, everyone. But Juvia really feels that this is what she should do."

"But where will you go?!" Erza asked.

"Juvia actually has been invited to another guild."

Everyone gasped in shock. Despite being a very powerful mage, no one ever thought Juvia would leave Fairy Tail.

"What guild?!" everyone asked in unison.

"…Lamia Scale."

Those two words wasn't really a surprise. But even though they were just two words, Gray felt as if he was being punched in the stomach.

" _In Lamia Scale?... with Lyon?"  
_

Even though it was very sad news, everyone in the guild understood Juvia's decision. Everyone, except maybe for Gray.

" _Why does she have to leave? And worse, why does she have to leave here for that place?"_

Gray found himself in his own little world, not hearing everything else. While this was going on, Juvia was busy bidding her farewells to everyone. Hugging her friends, crying with them. And as she had covered saying goodbye to almost everyone, it was just him that was left.

Gray then noticed a figure standing in front of him.

"Uh… Gray… I guess this is goodbye?"

His usual serious eyes for this girl finally changed and widened from realization. How could he just let her go just like that?

He hugged her tightly close to his arms. "Are you sure you want to go?"

Nobody expected this to happen. But it did. Everybody was speechless. Eyes all widened or mouths dropped to the ground.

"Gray…sama?" Juvia said, finally not being able to resist adding her term of endearment for him. "What are you doing? Juvia thought…Juvia thought… you made it clear that…"

Gray pulled away from the hug and looked away with a blush. "I know I said that. But… why do in all places do you have to go to Lamia Scale with….Lyon?"

Juvia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "If you had said that before, Juvia would think you were jealous and expected for you to love me back. But now that Juvia has gotten a couple of months away from you to think straight, Juvia thinks you're just being selfish. You don't like me AND you don't want Juvia going off with other guys?! What is the matter with you!? All the more that Juvia should be moving on. Goodbye, Gray. May the next time we see each other we've finally both matured and moved on."

After those words, Juvia walked away and left Fairy Tail.

* * *

Ever since Juvia left the guild, Gray couldn't sleep. He felt so bad for her departure because of him. He decided to mail a couple of apology letters and gifts to her. But he never heard back from her.

One time, he actually couldn't take the feeling of his conscience eating him up, so he decided to go to Lamia Scale to apologize yet again for what he had done. Unfortunately, upon getting there, Lyon just told him that Juvia didn't want to see him.

In reality, Juvia really did. But Oba Baba-sama advised her that if she really wanted to move on, she should ignore Gray and just forget about him.

She cried for so many times to control her emotions for Gray, but with the help of her newly found friends in Lamia Scale, she survived and eventually moved on.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, months turned to years.

* * *

Gray and Juvia finally lived their own separate lives. Gray carried on with his mission with Natsu and the gang. While Juvia lived in Lamia Scale all happily and found new friendships with not only Lyon, but also everyone else in the guild.

It took them seven years to actually meet again. By that time, Gray was already an S-Class Mage and there was a mission appointed for Gray by the Master. It led him to a village that was in need of ice since it was always summer there. He actually had been to such places before, a few times with Juvia, but this place was different. Any ice that was placed in the village, no matter how big, would just melt in the process. It was just like the Sun Village but reverse.

As Gray entered the village, he spotted a somewhat familiar face. The person also saw him. Despite a few years apart, they were sure it was each other. Finally Gray and Juvia have been reunited after seven years.

"Juvia… hi," he started to greet a little bit shyly.

"Hi, Gray. How's it been? Haven't seen you for a while," she answered happily however not as perky as before.

"Yeah, I know. You've changed," he said, pointing to the difference in clothing. She wasn't wearing a dress that covered her whole body nor a hat that always covered her hair. She actually wore more relaxing clothing that actually didn't cover most of her body. She wore a somewhat short blue skirt and a white tank top.

"Uhh… yeah. You too," she said as she pointed out how he was wearing clothes.

"Well uh, seven years is a long time. Anyway, so what brings you here?"

"I was asked to come by Oba Baba-sama for a quest. You?"

"Same here. But my Master Makarov. Although he didn't say you'll be here. If the others knew they would totally be jealous. They all miss you, you know. Why don't you ever visit?"

"I miss them all too. Although, I do see them every once in a while," she said and looked away.

He then understood that she must have kept in touch with everyone else except him despite being in another guild. "I see…"

"Looks like we'll be finally working together again, huh?" she tried to change the conversation.

"…uh… Why are you alone? Where's Lyon?" he figured asking. It wasn't that he was jealous or anything, but he actually missed Lyon as well. They were childhood friends; he at least wanted to know how he was.

"Lyon? Ah, he's with Sherria and their kids. He hasn't been taking on many quests since he got married."

"…What!? He got married and didn't invite me?!"

"It was actually just a simple ceremony with the guild. There were no outsiders. They didn't want to bother any other people."

"…so for him I'm just any other person huh?"

Juvia could only break a sweat. "I'm sure he didn't mean it that way."

" _I'm sure it was his just his way of torturing me after everything I've done to him,"_ Gray thought to himself but just let it slide. It wasn't time to think about the past anymore. Then again, his curiosity still got the better of him. "…so what about you, Juvia? Are you… married?" he asked a bit unsurely.

Juvia looked a Gray and saw that he's finally stripped again. He only gets that way when he's serious. Because of this she remembered how much she missed him, how she missed seeing him everyday, how she missed just talking to him, and how much she just still likes the past and current him.

With a smile she answered, "Nope. You?"

"Me either," he smiles.

"Ooooh? Why not? I thought with me gone, you would finally confess your feelings to Erza?"

Gray blushed. "How did you know?"

"The day you rejected me… I finally understood that there was somebody else. I was just too blind to see it before. I kept pushing myself to you, never really thinking about what you really felt."

Gray fell into his knees. "Well, I never really had any chance. Erza and Jellal were always endgame. I knew it before and it eventually happened. I guess I was just stubborn. And you were right. I was selfish. I knew how I felt about her yet I didn't confront you from the start. You know, I even cried myself to sleep when Erza herself told me that you liked me and that I should confront you with what I feel. At that moment I knew I had no chance with her, but I still led you on. I'm sorry."

Juvia shook her head. "It's okay. No need to worry. It's all in the past. Anyway, we have a job to do, right? Let's go?" she asked and offered a hand.

Gray accepted it, stood up and off they went for their next case, holding hands.

" _I may have not the right to be forgiven after everything I've done to her. But just seeing her smile and be happy seeing me, it makes me hopeful that everything is not lost. I guess this time we still have a chance to get to know each other properly. She was right. All we needed was time to mature and move on. And with that, maybe there is a chance that my mistakes will eventually turn out to be a happy ending."_

* * *

 _ **A/N: And that's it! Sorry if you all feel the ending's not that well, but I really wanted to end it like that for Gruvia. Not because I'm not a true believer, but I really think they have to work a lot more for each other. But there is still hope. Although for the others, I'm sure that I really want them to be endgame. For Gray, maybe he should just stick with me? Just joking. Haha! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this fanfic and don't forget to R &R! :D **_


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